FRIENDS OF SIZA works to:
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Provide food, water, clothing, and other basic necessities for the vulnerable children and orphans served by SizaBantwana
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Provide necessary school uniforms and school supplies
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Give financial assistance to cover the costs of children’s medical care
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Support the existing care centers and communal facilities where care workers cook food, serve meals, tutor, and have daily gatherings with the children
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Fund a new stand-alone care center and multipurpose building on land that SizaBantwana purchased, including a security fence, water source, toilets, electricity, and kitchen
Local children helping too:
Additionally, we connect local students from 4 area schools to the children in South Africa served by SizaBantwana:
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Jefferson Elementary School in Janesville, WI
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Evansville High School in Evansville, WI
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Kennedy Elementary School in Janesville, WI
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Parkview Elementary School in Orfordville, WI
FoS Board of Directors:
As a charitable organization, Friends of Siza is governed by the following devoted volunteers:
Jennifer Schrab, President
Robin Booth, Vice President
Laura Laursen, Secretary
Kelly Corey, Treasurer
Sarah Cordio, Fundraising Coordinator
Shilo Habeck, Marketing Director
history of FoS:
2014: Jennifer Schrab, a National Board Certified Teacher from Wisconsin, receives a Fund for Teachers grant to study in South Africa. As part of the grant, she connects her local elementary school to a nonprofit called SizaBantwana Childrens Benefit Organisation located in Hazyview.
2015: In an effort to grow the relationship between SizaBantwana Childrens Benefit Organisation and the elementary school where Jen teaches, a global penpal program is started, goods are collected and mailed to SizaBantwana, and 73 South African children are sponsored to go on their first field trip to Kruger National Park.
2016: Jen makes a second trip to Hazyview, South Africa bringing donated goods as well as money to help SizaBantwana and the children they serve. Her elementary school, family, and friends contribute generously.
2017: Jen invites a team of educators, including now board members, to join her on an eight day service trip to South Africa. Once again, their local elementary school, community, families, and friends contribute generously to SizaBantwana.
2018: The founders of SizaBantwana Childrens Benefit Organisation in South Africa, Frank and Minky Mashego, visit the United States including the elementary school they have partnered with for the past 5 years. Five suitcases of donations are sent back with Frank and Minky for the children served by SizaBantwana.
2018: Friends of SizaBantwana, Inc. is established and earns nonprofit status as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in the United States.
2020: Unfortunately, our June 2020 service trip was canceled due to COVID-19.
2023: A team of ten volunteers join board members Jen, Kelly, and Shilo on an eight day service trip to Hazyview, South Africa. In addition to 13 suitcases of donations, two additional schools join the project and also contribute generously. With limited storage, means of travel, and time, the FoS team spends as much donated money as possible on food parcels, school uniforms, and other necessary items for the children served by SizaBantwana.
2026: Another successful site visit and service trip concluded in June 2026. In addition to bringing, buying, and delivering donations, the FoS team celebrates the new stand-alone care center that opened in November 2024, as well as its security fence to keep the children and care workers safe, electricity access, make-shift kitchen, and recently drilled well. There were many happy tears to say the least!
2027 and beyond: Our long-term plan is to continue raising money for the children's immediate needs and SizaBantwana's new care center, including a more efficient and permanent kitchen, a garden and future sustainable food source, a counseling room, and a library.
our story
Friends of SizaBantwana, Inc. provides charitable donations of goods and money to SizaBantwana Childrens Benefit Organisation, a registered nonprofit located in South Africa.
By creating Friends of Siza here in the USA, American philanthropists can now make tax deductible donations to the needy children in South Africa more easily.
Jen Schrab serves on both Friends of Siza's and SizaBantwana's Board of Directors to ensure that 100% of donations go directly to the children and the organization's immediate needs.
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